Running Events in Karlsruhe 2027: Baden-Marathon, Badische Meile and B2Run

Swim & Run at the Sonnenbad in April, the Badische Meile through the city centre in May, the B2Run with around 11,000 people through the Schlossgarten, the Baden-Marathon in September and club classics in the Oberwald: all the key running events in Karlsruhe for 2027 – plus what's still coming before New Year's Eve 2026.

Chris Mühlnickel · 30 September 2026 · 10 min read

Running Events in Karlsruhe 2027: Baden-Marathon, Badische Meile and B2Run

Karlsruhe runs between palace and forest. The Firmenlauf leads through the Schlossgarten (palace gardens), north of the palace lies the Hardtwald with the Hardtwaldlauf, and at the BBBank Wildpark are the finish of the B2Run and the start of the Schlossparklauf. In the south lies the Oberwald, where the TUS Rüppurr holds its events in spring and autumn. The Alb river accompanies the Stadtwerke's Volkslauf and the Swim & Run at the Sonnenbad, in Durlach you run along the Pfinz, and in the Bergdörfer (hill villages) around Hohenwettersbach over hills. And the city's two big events finish in the Carl-Kaufmann-Stadion: the Badische Meile in May and the Baden-Marathon in September.

This overview shows which events are coming up and who they suit. Where the organizer has already confirmed the 2027 date, it's listed; otherwise we give the date of the last edition for orientation. As of 30 September 2026.

Which event suits you?

Your goal Events that fit
Your first race bib 5 km at the Neureuter Volkslauf, Frauenlauf Karlsruhe, 5 km at the Stadtwerke's Volkslauf
Your first half marathon Half marathon at the Baden-Marathon
Your marathon Baden-Marathon Karlsruhe
A new personal best Oberwaldlauf, Rißnertlauf, Durlacher Turmberglauf, Baden-Marathon
Running in the forest Oberwaldlauf, Rißnertlauf, Hardtwaldlauf
Running in the evening Bergdorfmeile
With colleagues B2Run Karlsruhe, Partnerlauf at the Schlossparklauf, Team marathon at the Baden-Marathon
For a good cause Artenschutzlauf, Stadtwerke's Volkslauf
Something completely different Wäscherinnen-Lauf, Artenschutzlauf through the zoo, Badische Meile over 8.88889 km
Triathlon and Swim & Run Lemming Swim & Run, IRONMAN 70.3 Kraichgau

Still in 2026: Oberwald and zoo

In 2026 the Baden-Marathon was already in September (more on that below). Until the end of the year, two events remain, both in the south of the city.

On 17 October 2026 the TUS Rüppurr invites you to the Oberwaldlauf, according to the club for the 40th time. Start and finish are at the club grounds on the Steinmannstraße in Rüppurr, and you run 10 or 5 km on asphalt and paved forest paths through the Oberwald, the 5 km also as walking. The event takes place every year on the third Saturday in October, and the courses are DLV-certified (German Athletics Association) and eligible for the rankings (tus-rueppurr.de). If you still want to run a 10 km time in autumn, this is your chance.

On 22 November 2026 the route goes right through the Zoologischer Stadtgarten (Karlsruhe's zoo). The Artenschutzlauf Volksbank pur (species conservation run) covers four laps of 1.9 km, 7.6 km in total, with the start at the Seebühne. You choose the entry fee yourself, and it goes to specific projects of the Artenschutzstiftung Zoo Karlsruhe, the zoo's species conservation foundation. The organizers are the Volksbank pur, the Zoologischer Stadtgarten and the LG Region Karlsruhe, whose event calendar lists the fifth edition for this date (lgr-karlsruhe.de). The field is capped at 550 participants (volksbank-pur.de).

Spring: Oberwald, Neureut and the Sonnenbad

Karlsruhe's clubs open the running year, and they do it in the city's districts.

First up is the Rißnertlauf of the TUS Rüppurr, the spring sibling of the Oberwaldlauf. The loop course also leads through the Oberwald, over 15 or 5 km, the 5 km also as walking. Here too, the courses are DLV-certified and eligible for the rankings. According to the club, it takes place on the third Sunday in March; in 2026 that was 15 March, for the 22nd time. The club hasn't published the 2027 date yet (tus-rueppurr.de). The 15 km are a good fitness test if you're training for a half marathon in spring.

In the north of Karlsruhe, the Neureuter Volkslauf of the TuS Neureut follows. On 19 April 2026 it took place for the 37th time, with the start at the club's sports grounds. There are 10 and 5 km, plus children's races over 800 and 400 m. The Volkslauf is a partner run of the Badische Meile, and the 2027 date is still to come (tusneureut.de). The 5 km are an uncomplicated first race.

Something completely different awaits on 25 April 2027 in Mühlburg. At the Lemming Swim & Run of the Karlsruher Lemminge, you first swim in the 50 m pool of the Sonnenbad, then head out on a loop course along the Alb. The long distance comprises a 1,000 m swim and a 7.5 km run, the short distance 400 m and 2.5 km. The long distance counts towards the Baden-Tri-Cup, and the Baden-Württemberg triathlon leagues race alongside. According to the organizer, around 200 people took part in the public race in 2026, plus 150 league athletes. 2027 is the sixth edition, and registration opens at the end of January (lemming-swim-and-run.de). The short distance is a good way to try out the format.

May: the Badische Meile

May belongs to the city centre. Since 1990 the Badische Meile (Baden mile) has been the region's first big Volkslauf (community run) of the year, and it runs over a distance you'll only find here: 8.88889 km, the historical length of the Badische Meile. The loop course starts on the Hermann-Veit-Straße, leads through the city centre and finishes in the Carl-Kaufmann-Stadion. You can run the course, walk it or do it with poles as Nordic walking. The 36th edition is on 2 May 2027, with youth and family relays already on the day before. For 2027 the race information states a limit of 6,500 runners (badischemeile.de).

Things are smaller, and tongue-in-cheek, two weeks later in Bulach. There the TSV Bulach holds the Wäscherinnen-Lauf (washerwomen's run) and the Frauenlauf Karlsruhe (women's run) together. The Wäscherinnen-Lauf over 2.5 km is traditionally run in a housecoat apron or dirndl and commemorates the washerwomen of Bulach; it was created in 2015 for the city's birthday. The Frauenlauf covers 5 km. On 17 May 2026 the ninth Wäscherinnen-Lauf and the sixth Frauenlauf took place, according to Runner's World with 210 participants. The club hasn't published the 2027 date yet (waescherinnenlauf.de).

With your team: B2Run and Partnerlauf

Measured by the number of participants, the B2Run Karlsruhe is the city's biggest corporate run. On 7 May 2026, according to the organizer, around 11,000 people from about 475 companies took part. The course is around 5.3 km long, leads through the Schlossgarten and finishes in the BBBank Wildpark. The organizer hasn't published the 2027 date yet (b2run.de).

A second chance to start with colleagues comes at the Schlossparklauf of the Karlsruher SC: since 2026 its programme has included a Partnerlauf (partner run) for companies, with up to 800 places (more on that below).

Nearby: IRONMAN 70.3 Kraichgau

There's no IRONMAN race in Karlsruhe itself. The nearest is around 30 km to the north-east: the IRONMAN 70.3 Kraichgau on 23 May 2027. The swim is 1.9 km in the Hardtsee near Ubstadt-Weiher, followed by 90 km on the bike over the hilly roads of the Kraichgau, known as the "land of 1000 hills", and finally a flat half marathon in Bad Schönborn (ironman.com). If the Lemming Swim & Run has given you a taste for more, this is the next step.

Hill villages, Hardtwald, Schlosspark: 2027 dates still open

Three events took place in June 2026, and for all three the 2027 date is still to come. Two of them, the Hardtwaldlauf and the Schlossparklauf, recently changed month. So only plan them in firmly once the organizers have published the date.

The Bergdorfmeile (hill village mile) is the little sister of the Badische Meile: same distance, 8.88889 km, same organizer, the LG Region Karlsruhe, but a different profile. The course leads through the districts of Karlsruhe's Bergdörfer around Hohenwettersbach and is hillier. The start is on the Lindenstraße in Hohenwettersbach, the finish at the sports ground of the SV Hohenwettersbach, and there's also a youth race over around 2 km. The start is in the evening at 7 pm, and the field is capped at 1,000 participants. The eleventh edition took place on 26 June 2026 (bergdorfmeile.de). The twelfth has already been announced on badischemeile.de, with joint registration for both events, but still without a date.

The Hardtwaldlauf of the LSG Karlsruhe covers 5 and 10 km through the Hardtwald north of the palace, plus children's races. The start is at the grounds of the MTV Karlsruhe on the Kanalweg. It last took place on 28 June 2026, for the 40th time (lsg-ka.de).

The KSC BBBank Schlossparklauf (palace park run) of the Karlsruher SC starts at the BBBank Wildpark. The loop course is 3.25 km long and leads to the palace and back; the main race over 9.6 km is three laps. There's also a youth race over 3.2 km, plus a relay and the Partnerlauf. The limits are 1,100 places in the main race, 300 in the youth race and 800 in the Partnerlauf. The 28th edition took place on 21 June 2026 (ev.ksc.de).

September: Baden-Marathon

On 19 September 2027 comes the biggest day in Karlsruhe's running year. The Baden-Marathon Karlsruhe leads on a flat course through the Fächerstadt (fan city, Karlsruhe's nickname), with the finish in the Carl-Kaufmann-Stadion. In 2026 it took place on 20 September for the 42nd time, according to Runner's World with around 13,000 participants. Among the events in this overview with a published participant number, that's the highest. The organizer has published the 2027 date as a save the date (badenmarathon.de).

Alongside the 42.195 km there's a half marathon and a team marathon for teams of two and four, plus a Gesundheitslauf (health run) over 6.1 km, an inclusion run over 4.1 km, walking and children's races. For a first half marathon this is a good setting, and the team marathon is a way to split the distance with colleagues or friends. If you're training for the marathon, your long runs fall in the summer – for example in the Hardtwald.

After the marathon: along the Alb and in Durlach

In the days after the Baden-Marathon, two traditional events followed in 2026. For both, the 2027 date is still to come.

The Volkslauf der Stadtwerke Karlsruhe (the municipal utility's community run) has existed since 1984, and on 24 September 2026 it took place for the 40th time. The course runs mostly along the Alb, with 10.5 and 5 km, the 5 km also as walking, and a 300 m children's sprint. The Stadtwerke hold it as a "green Volkslauf", and a large share of the proceeds goes to social projects. The field is capped at around 1,000 participants (stadtwerke-karlsruhe.de).

Two days later, on 26 September 2026, the Durlacher Turmberglauf of the Turnerschaft Durlach started for the 32nd time. Despite the name, it's not a mountain run: the 10 km lead flat through Durlach's old town and along the Pfinz to just before Grötzingen and back. The children's races take place in the Schlossgarten. According to the organizer, it was almost fully booked in 2026 (tsdurlach.de). With its flat profile, it's a good date for a 10 km personal best.

Planning tips for your running year

Registering early pays off. Many Karlsruhe events have fixed limits: the Badische Meile 6,500 runners, the Bergdorfmeile 1,000, the Stadtwerke's Volkslauf around 1,000, the Artenschutzlauf 550. At the Schlossparklauf there are 1,100 places in the main race. The Durlacher Turmberglauf was almost fully booked in 2026. At the Lemming Swim & Run, registration for 2027 opens at the end of January.

Two miles, one registration. The Badische Meile and the Bergdorfmeile are organised by the LG Region Karlsruhe, and on badischemeile.de there's joint registration for both. The Neureuter Volkslauf is a partner run of the Badische Meile.

Keep an eye on the 2027 dates. Confirmed so far are the Lemming Swim & Run (25 April), the Badische Meile (2 May), the IRONMAN 70.3 Kraichgau (23 May) and the Baden-Marathon (19 September). For all other events the 2027 dates are still to come, and the Hardtwaldlauf and the Schlossparklauf even changed month recently.

Four places shape Karlsruhe's running year. The Carl-Kaufmann-Stadion is the finish of the Badische Meile and the Baden-Marathon. The B2Run, the Schlossparklauf and the Hardtwaldlauf take place around the palace, the Schlossgarten, the Hardtwald and the BBBank Wildpark. In the Oberwald in the south, the TUS Rüppurr holds the Rißnertlauf and the Oberwaldlauf. And along the Alb lie the Stadtwerke's Volkslauf and the Swim & Run at the Sonnenbad.

Don't train alone

Karlsruhe's year has two big goals: the Badische Meile in May, which you train for over the winter, and the Baden-Marathon in September, for which the long runs fall in the summer. That's easier in a group, and at the start it's nicer when you know someone. You'll find the right group among the running groups and run clubs in Karlsruhe.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2027 Baden-Marathon Karlsruhe?
On 19 September 2027. Alongside the marathon there's a half marathon, a team marathon for teams of two and four, a health run and an inclusion run, walking and children's races, and the finish is in the Carl-Kaufmann-Stadion. According to Runner's World, around 13,000 participants took part in 2026 (badenmarathon.de).
When is the 2027 Badische Meile?
On 2 May 2027, for the 36th time. You run, walk or Nordic walk 8.88889 km through the city centre to the Carl-Kaufmann-Stadion, and there are youth and family relays on the day before. The limit is 6,500 runners (badischemeile.de).
When is the 2027 B2Run Karlsruhe?
The organizer hasn't published the 2027 date yet. In 2026 the B2Run took place on 7 May, with around 11,000 people from about 475 companies on around 5.3 km from the Schlossgarten to the BBBank Wildpark (b2run.de).
When is the 2027 IRONMAN 70.3 Kraichgau?
On 23 May 2027, around 30 km north-east of Karlsruhe. The swim is 1.9 km in the Hardtsee near Ubstadt-Weiher, followed by 90 km on the bike through the hilly Kraichgau and a flat half marathon in Bad Schönborn (ironman.com).
When is the 2027 Schlossparklauf in Karlsruhe?
The Karlsruher SC hasn't published the 2027 date yet, and the run recently changed month. The 28th edition took place on 21 June 2026, on a 3.25 km loop from the BBBank Wildpark to the palace and back, with a main race over 9.6 km, a youth race, a relay and a Partnerlauf for companies (ev.ksc.de).
Which running events are still coming up in Karlsruhe in 2026?
The Oberwaldlauf of the TUS Rüppurr on 17 October 2026 over 10 and 5 km through the Oberwald (tus-rueppurr.de) and the Artenschutzlauf Volksbank pur on 22 November 2026 over 7.6 km through the Zoologischer Stadtgarten (lgr-karlsruhe.de).

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